PVC: Community accuses INEC officials of extortion

Residents of Wushishi Community in the Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger State have raised the alarm that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission were demanding payment of N200 from the community members to be captured in the Permanent Voter Card registration.

It was leant that the INEC officials were demanding N200 from everyone who approached the registration centre.

The officials, it was learnt, explained that the money was to buy fuel to power the generator being used for the exercise.

Northern City News gathered on Thursday that the residents were compelled to pay for the powering of the generator and the machines or they would forfeit their registration.

One of the residents, Mohammed Gambo, told our correspondent that he paid for four people from his community so that they would not be disenfranchised.

“I am surprised that INEC officials in our area are collecting N200 from residents before they could be captured which is against the electoral law. They told us when they started this registration that all the materials needed for it were intact.”

Gambo added that a lot of people left in anger.

“They said the 2019 elections should go to hell. Of what benefit is it to the community when we don’t have good roads, potable water and power supply? So, why are we stressing ourselves?” Gambo said.

Another resident, Isah Ibrahim, complained that the some of the INEC officers in Wushishi were not friendly and could not explain to the people why they should pay before being captured, adding that there was a communication gap.

Ibrahim said, “The INEC officials could not explain properly why they are collecting N200 and for that reason alone, most of us boycotted the registration exercise.”

The Niger State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Samuel Egwu, when contacted, said, “I have never heard of it because it is not part of our process.

“We will not encourage this kind of matter. And if we find it to be true, we will bring the perpetrators to book. The right of citizens to register for their Permanent Voters Card can never be taken for granted.”

According to him, any electoral officer extorting money from people in the name of registration will be made to face the wrath of law because they are acting outside the law.

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